Caddis Cardigan is cardigan/sweatervest with an unusual, engaging construction—it’s a lot of fun to knit, and enjoyable to style and wear as well.

Simple stitches—mostly garter stitch with some eyelet details—transform easy shapes into a sweater with neat cap sleeves and reversible/flippable A-line/cropped sweater shaping.

Worked in sportweight yarn, Caddis Cardigan flows nicely and knits up fairly quickly.

I used Malabrigo Arroyo in Plomo for the size small sample. It is shown on a model with a 34” bust. Photos are coming soon for XS and M.

(Work is simple, but the approach is a little unusual. The .PDF, of course, has schematics, photos, and instructions to help you bear with the weirdness. Honestly, the weirdness is half the reward. Maybe the weirdness is even most of the reward, at least until the project is done and you can wear it.)

Materials:
2(2, 3, 3, 4, 4, 5, 5) skeins of Malabrigo Arroyo, shown in Plomo, size S
1 40” circular needle in US6/4.0mm, or size needed for gauge
Stitch markers
Tapestry needle

Gauge:
Gauge is sts and rows over 4”/10cm of blocked garter stitch, worked flat, and sts and rows over 4”/10cm of blocked stockinette, worked flat. Please be sure to check your gauge; a recommended needle size is only a starting point.

Style Notes:
Wear it as shown in the first few photos, open-front, for a flowing, casual a-line sweatervest/cardigan with small cap sleeves. The topline becomes a rounded shawl collar.

Worn this way, it can also be styled with a very neat tailored look when you add a shawl pin or removable toggles. The diagonal eyelets line up to meet at the front.

Flip it, and the vest becomes cropped, and what was the lower the hem becomes a square collar in reverse garter stitch and eyelets. The look is almost totally different. The square collar can be pulled closed, too, and also fastened with removable button toggles or a shawl pin.

Construction Notes:
I like the cast-on described for this piece for real reasons—it’s flexible and has attractive, well-defined cast-on loops. If you opt to substitute your favorite cast-on, be sure to use something stretchy/flexible for a comfortable fit.

This .PDF includes several sizes, and some advice at the end in case you’d like to size up.

Related patterns:
Emerger Cowl
Caddis Shawl